Ladder Creek Falls is a waterfall in Whatcom County, Washington at about 151 m (495 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to North Cascades National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 53 km (33 mi) NNE of Darrington.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ladder Creek Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:03 AM | 52° NE | 9:12 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:56 AM | 126° SE | 4:12 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 16m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:45 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 44m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 13m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 41m |
| May | 4:47 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 15m |
| June | 4:20 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:52 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:52 PM | 16h 07m |
| July | 4:39 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 45m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 23m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 12m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:47 AM | 3:15 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 18m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Ladder Creek Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:55 AM – 4:05 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:52 AM – 2:42 AM | 0.8 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 2:33 AM | 2.7 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:01 AM – 12:41 AM | 0.7 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:31 PM – 10:31 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). August is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 47 | 50 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 76 | 55 | 41 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -12 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 24 | -2 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 9.1 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ladder Creek Falls, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Mountain PeakWaterfall
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Newhalem Creek Campground988 m · reservable
- Lower Goodell Group Campground1.2 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Upper Goodell Group Campground1.2 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Goodell Creek Campground1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Gorge Lake Campground8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ladder Creek Falls?
What time is golden hour at Ladder Creek Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ladder Creek Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ladder Creek Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ladder Creek Falls?
How far is Ladder Creek Falls from Darrington?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.